As wireless connectivity technology is becoming more pervasive, there is a move to implement a wireless-based health monitoring system as described in patent application US patent application publication no. 2007/0265533. The wireless system described therein is very costly as it is based on very special devices for monitoring.
For body wellness monitoring, the most important parameters are the temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and the respiratory rate. These parameters are also known as body vital signs. Measurement of these parameters are generally simple with the exception of the blood pressure measurement which is the most difficult of all. For measuring blood pressure, there are many methods such as Auscultatory, Oscillometry, applanation tonometry, plethesmograpghy, etc. Most of the existing blood pressure monitors use either Ausculatory or oscillometric method for measuring the blood pressure. These methods require a cuff to be worn on arm which is inflated during measurement. Use of a cuff and the apparatus required for inflation make the measurement device power consuming and bulky and, as such, it cannot be carried easily in a pocket.